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Laboratory for small animal imaging

For in-vivo small animal imaging we use the INVEON multimodal system (Siemens), which consists of a positron emission tomograph (PET) and a single photon emission computer tomograph (SPECT) combined with a computer tomograph (CT) (see Figure 1): the density of different receptors (A1 adenosinergic receptors, D2/3 dopaminergic receptors, metabotropic glutamatergic receptors) can be studied in the rodent brain with high spatial resolution and high sensitivity. For exact pharmacokinetic modelling, radioactive metabolites are determined in blood.

Figure 1: INVEON combined PET/SPECT/CT system.

Fig. 2: Spatial resolution of the PET system.

Fig. 3: Distribution of D2/3 dopaminergic receptors in horizontal brain slices of the rat. A high binding (red) is found in the caudate-putamen.

Fig. 4: Distribution of A1 adenosinergic receptors in horizontal brain slices of the rat. A high binding (red) is found in the caudate-putamen, thalamus and cerebellum.

The receptor density was defined in-vivo by PET using [11C]ABP688 as radioligand (A and B). Afterwards the in-vivo results were verified by in-vitro autoradiography using [3H]ABP688 as radioligand (C and D). The high binding of the radioligand (red, A and C) is reduced by blocking the receptors with MPEP (B and C).